Erasmo Ramirez returns to Mariners, will start Thursday; Carter Capps sent down

Erasmo Ramirez has been Thursday’s expected starter since the Mariners designated Jeremy Bonderman for assignment Monday. But the M’s wouldn’t officially say who they were planning promote to fill Bonderman’s slot in the rotation.

Erasmo Ramirez. (Getty Images)

On Thursday, the Mariners finally made their move, recalling Ramirez from Triple-A Tacoma and optioning Carter Capps to make room on the 25-man roster. The M’s said Ramirez, 23, will start Thursday’s game against the Red Sox at 12:40 p.m. in Seattle.

Ramirez was expected to be one of the Mariners’ starting pitchers this season, coming off an impressive rookie year in 2012. But the righty got injured at the end of spring training and missed nearly two months with elbow soreness in his throwing arm.

After just one game with Double-A Jackson, Ramirez returned to Tacoma in early June for his rehab assignment. In seven starts for the Rainiers, the 5-foot-11 Nicaraguan was 3-3 with 42 strikeouts and 43 hits allowed in 43.2 innings, for an ERA of 3.09.

In Thursday’s game, he’ll be throwing opposite Boston starter Ryan Dempster. It will be Ramirez’s first appearance in the big leagues since Sept. 30.

Ramirez takes over Bonderman’s spot in the starting rotation — though Bonderman’s time was short. Since being called up June 2 from Triple-A, the 30-year-old made seven starts and pitched his way to a 4.93 ERA and 1-3 record. In his most recent start, last Saturday in Cincinnati, Bonderman pitched five innings and gave up six runs (and five walks) as the Reds powered their way to a 13-4 victory over the M’s.

Bonderman, who was Oakland’s first-round draft pick back in 2001, was attempting a comeback after missing two years due to injury problems. He missed most of 2008, when he was with the Detroit Tigers, and was indefinitely placed on the disabled list in 2009 after continued shoulder problems. The Mariners gave him a chance by signing him to a minor-league contract in December, and had been trying him out in the majors since June 2.

Capps, 22, heads to Tacoma after spending all season with the Mariners as a hard-throwing reliever. The righty has struggled as of late — in his last seven appearances, he is 0-1 with a 17.17 ERA and gave up 14 runs over 7.1 innings. His ERA ballooned from 3.54 before the slide to the 6.37 it’s at now, in 33 relief appearances this year.